Automotive air bag cover having a horn switch formed therein

ABSTRACT

An automotive air bag cover including a horn switch device incorporated therein, is provided. The air bag cover includes substantially rigid front and side panels which are adapted to enclose an uninflated automotive air bag. The front panel has inner and outer surfaces and is connected to the side panels at seams to permit the inflating air bag to leave the cover as the inflating air bag exerts a force at the inner surface of the front panel sufficient to cause the front panel to separate from the side panels along the seams. The horn switch device includes a flexible, manually operable diaphragm at the outer surface of the front panel. The diaphragm has a first electrically conductive inner surface for making a circuit with a corresponding second electrically conductive inner surface of the front panel upon manual actuation of the diaphragm.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to air bag covers and, in particular, to air bagcovers having a horn switch incorporated therein.

BACKGROUND ART

Presently, when air bags are provided in automotive vehicles the air bagis stored in the steering column of the vehicle behind an air bag cover.During automatic inflation of the air bag, the air bag cover moves awayfrom the steering column to permit the air bag to perform its safetyfunction between the steering column and the operator of the vehicle.

Any manually operable horn switch or switches are typically also locatedon the steering wheel column on opposite sides of the air bag cover.However, these switches typically are rather small and oftentimesinaccessible for drivers who have large hands or for drivers who havelimited manual dexterity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an automotive air bagcover having a horn switch device incorporated therein.

In carrying out the above objects and other objects of the presentinvention, an automotive air bag cover constructed in accordance withthe present invention is provided. The air bag cover includessubstantially rigid front and side panels adapted to enclose anuninflated automotive air bag. The front panel has inner and outersurfaces. The front panel is interconnected to the side panels at seamswhich permit the inflated air bag to leave the cover wherein theinflating air bag exerts a force at the inner surface of the front panelsufficient to cause the front panel to separate from the side panelsalong the seams. The air bag cover further includes a horn switchdevice, including a flexible manually-operable diaphragm at the outersurface of the front panel. The diaphragm has a first electricallyconductive inner surface for making a circuit path with thecorresponding second electrically conductive inner surface of the frontpanel upon manual actuation of the diaphragm.

Preferably, the diaphragm is integrally formed with the front panel.

Also, preferably, the second electrically conductive inner surface isdefined by a rigid plate connected to remainder of the front panel.

The automatic air bag cover constructed in accordance with the aboveinvention provides numerous advantages. For example, the horn switchdevice is easily accessible on the outer surface cover. Furthermore,such a switch device can be relatively inexpensively incorporated in aconventional air bag cover, thereby freeing up additional areas on thesteering column.

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention arereadily apparent from the following detailed description of the bestmode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an automotive air bag cover, constructed inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1,illustrating the horn switch device of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawing figures, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 anautomotive air bag cover, generally indicated at 10, constructed inaccordance with the present invention. Typically, the automotive air bagcover 10 is secured at the top end of a vehicle drive column at thesteering wheel of the vehicle.

A substantially rigid front panel, generally indicated at 12 of thecover 10, is integrally formed with side panels 14, 16 and 18 (only oneof the side panels 16 is shown). Typically, the side panels 14, 16 and18 are apertured, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to permit the cover 10 to befixedly secured to the vehicle steering column.

The front and side panels 12, 14, 16, and 18 are adapted to enclose anuninflated automotive air bag between the cover 10 and the steeringcolumn.

The front panel 12 is interconnected to the side panels 16 and 14 atseams 24 and 26, which are of reduced thickness, to permit the air bagas it is inflating, to exert a force at the inner surface 22 of thefront panel 12 to cause the front panel 12 to separate from the sidepanels 14 and 16 along the seams 24 and 26.

The front panel 12 is hingedly connected to the top panel 18 at a hinge28, as best shown in FIG. 2 so that after separation from the sidepanels 14 and 16, the front panel 18 can swing upwardly and out of theway of the inflating air bag.

The air bag cover 10 includes a horn switch device, generally indicatedat 30, which extends substantially the entire width of the front panel12 between the side panels 16. The horn switch device 30 includes aflexible manually operable diaphragm 32 preferably integrally formedwith the rest of the front panel 12 and the side panels 14, 16 and 18from plastic (preferably TPO). The diaphragm 32 has a convex shape atthe outer surface 20 of the front panel 12.

The diaphragm 32 has at its inner surface thereof, a strip ofelectrically conductive aluminum tape 34 which forms a firstelectrically conductive inner surface for making a circuit path with acorresponding second electrically conductive inner surface 35 of asubstantially rigid plate, generally indicated at 36. The plate 36 maycomprise a molded switch with a molded in connector which is heat-stakedor otherwise attached to the plastic portion of the front panel 12 at aplurality of locations 38. Alternately, the plate 36 may be made of anelectrically conductive metal.

Alternately, the electrically conductive aluminum tape 34 may bereplaced by a conductive thermoplastic with a molded-in connector,which, when the diaphragm 32 is manually actuated, electrically engagesor is electrically connected to the inner surface 35 of the molded plate36.

The plate 36, the diaphragm 32 and the electrically conductive aluminumtape 34 define a hollow compartment 40 within the front panel 30. A pairof spaced, elongated foam-insulators 42 are disposed between the plate36 and the conductive tape 34 so that the electrical connection is onlymade at the top of the electrically conductive surface 37 between theinsulators 42.

Referring again to FIG. 1, preferably indicia 44 are formed on the outersurface of the diaphragm 32 to indicate the function of the switch horndevice 30.

The advantages accruing to an automotive air bag cover 10 constructed asdescribed above are numerous. For example, the function provided by theswitch horn device 30 can be accomplished relatively inexpensively andcan provide a relatively large surface area for manual operation. Also,the air bag cover 10 with the horn switch device 30 formed therein,frees up additional space on the vehicle steering column.

While a preferred embodiment of the subject invention has been shown anddescribed in detail, those skilled in this art will recognize variousalternative designs and embodiments for practicing the present inventionas defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An automotive air bag covercomprising:substantially rigid front cover and side panels adapted toenclose an uninflated automotive air bag, the front panel having innerand outer surfaces and being interconnected to the side panel at seamswhich permit the inflating air bag to leave the cover, the inflating airbag exerting a force at the inner surface of the front panel sufficientto cause the front panel to separate from the side panels along theseams; and a horn switch device including a flexible manually operablediaphragm at the outer surface of the front panel, the diaphragm havinga first electrically conductive inner surface for making a circuit pathwith a corresponding second electrically conductive inner surface uponmanual actuation of the diaphragm, the second electrically conductiveinner surface being defined by a rigid plate attached to thesubstantially rigid remainder of the front panel to move therewithwherein the first and second electrically conductive inner surfacesdefine a hollow compartment in the front panel and wherein uponseparation from the side panels the front panel including the diaphragm,the hollow compartment and the rigid plate move together to permit theinflating air bag to leave the cover.
 2. The air bag cover as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the diaphragm is integrally formed with the front panel.3. The air bag cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the front panel ishingedly connected to one of the side panels to allow the front panel toswing open during inflation of the air bag.
 4. The air bag cover asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the first electrically conductive innersurface is defined by an electrically conductive material.
 5. The airbag cover as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least oneinsulator disposed in the hollow compartment to insulate portions of thefirst and second electrically conductive inner surfaces from oneanother.